"Few small builders find unit pricing feasible. Here’s a look at how good records, good judgment, and a mental walk-through can yield an accurate estimate."

Estimating by the Stick Case
Study:
ouldn't you love to have seen
those other bids on that last project
you estimated? Last spring, I had the
opportunity to get a close look at three
competing bids when I sat in on a meeting
of builders here in Vermont. They met
under the auspices of a local builder's
group, which was planning to build and
market an affordable, healthy, and energyefficient
house. Each builder worked up his
own estimate to help the group accurately
price the completed project. Instead of presenting
the bids in private to the client, the
three builders discussed their bids openly
— offering us the rare opportunity to dissect
and compare the competing